FIVE MISTAKES THAT MERLIN MADE
by PessimisticSorcerer
Summary: Merlin has been feeling rather odd recently. He doesn't know why but he's detirmined to find out. In a series of five events over the course of a year, Merlin learns to discover why he's been feeling so strange. 5 chapters, 5 short stories


**NEVER**** EMBARRASS THE CROWNED PRINCE OF CAMELOT.**

**YOU'LL REGRET IT, **_**MER**_**LIN.**

Snow had always been a big deal in Camelot. It came every year, clogging up the windows, sprinkling on the horses and generally making everyone's life a misery. It would be cold, very cold, and the castle was not exactly warm at the best of times. Arthur would always spend as much of the day as he possibly could in bed, curled up in the foetal position, hugging his legs and squeezing his eyes tightly shut, wishing the cold would go and bother somebody else for a while. When was, however, forced to get out of bed by the sound of Merlin traipsing snow all over his rug looking paler than Arthur would have ever thought possible (which he would remark at, and which would also receive a dirty look and a hiss) he would dress as quickly as humanly possible, shrug on a large fur coat (which Merlin would comment made him look like an overstuffed ferret) and go back to bed.

Uther had called a meeting of the court, his crown quivering atop his slightly blue-tinged head, to tell them all - a little last minute, Merlin had thought - that a visitor from a neighbouring kingdom was soon to visit, King Melinor and his daughter Lady Katherine, and that they should all look their finest despite the freezing conditions. Everyone trudged back to their quarters looking a little more miserable as they did, Lady Katherine had always been known somewhat as a flirt, but her main annoyance was her awful laugh. Merlin had remembered when she had last visited, Arthur had offered to show her about the castle, making sure Merlin was close in tow, and they had run headlong into a servant carrying a large bowl of fruit which, in fright, subsequently threw into the air, a large red apple landing in his mouth. Lady Katherine had found this frightfully amusing and Merlin had to resist the urge to cover his ears with his hands once she had started laughing.

Arthur immediately threw himself onto his bed when he returned to his chambers, burying his face in the warm sheets. "Why _her_? She'll be draping herself over me just like last time wanting me to take her here and there and I'll be forced to because _father _wants this neighbouring treaty more than anything, and I'll be stuck with," he paused. "With that _laugh_."

Merlin smiled to himself, moving towards Arthur's wardrobe to pick out some clothes for the meet and greet later on. "You know, she's not _that _bad. To be honest, I feel sorry for her to be remembered by your laugh…"

"You feel sorry for _her_?" Arthur sat up quickly. "What about _me_? I have to spend at least two days with her."

"Sorry, sire" Merlin poked his head out from behind the wardrobe door. "I forgot _your _feelings might be hurt."

"Yes, well," Arthur picked himself from his bed and moved slowly towards the window, looking out across the frozen courtyard. He soon regretted it, that cold chill creeping in through the gaps around the window and catching Arthur unawares. He leapt backwards, shaking from head to toe, pulling the coat around his neck and tucking his hands under his armpits. "And why _this _season of all of them? Couldn't Melinor choose spring? That's much warmer."

Merlin said nothing but couldn't help roll his eyes. Winter always brought out the worst in people.

*******

"And here are you chambers," Merlin guided the Lady Katherine to a room on the opposite side of the castle, having been given strict instructions by Arthur to keep her as far away from him as possible.

"Where's Prince Arthur?" Katherine snorted, settling herself of the large bed and looking up at Merlin with large and expectant eyes.

"Oh!" the manservant started. He had been given a list of excuses from Arthur and seemed to have forgotten them all in the heat of the moment. Was one of them about a dragon? Or something about a dog and a loaf of bread? He scratched his head and let his face fall into a falsed smile. "He's out training at the moment."

"What?" the Lady scoffed. "In this weather?"

"Yes!" Merlin cried. "He enjoys the cold. It's his favourite time of year winter; he loves to be outside and trains his men especially for this time. Sometimes they complain but the Prince tells them that they must practice in the cold for who knows when creatures may strike!" The warlock finished his spur-of-the-moment excuse with a vigorous nod of his head. "And that is why he will not be able to see you before the royal banquet tonight."

It was at that moment that Merlin's plan fell apart right in front of him. Little did he know that his geographical knowledge of the castle was not as good as he had imagined and in fact Merlin had not put Lady Katherine up in the room furthest away from Arthur but one that was en route from Arthur's chambers to the courtyard and it just so happened that the prince walked past the open door at that very moment. Lady Katherine leapt to her feet and called Arthur's name to him, Merlin spun around on the spot his face fixed with an expression of upmost horror. The Prince, curious to know who had called his name craned his head around the door.

"Yes?" he asked, but his eyes opened in terror when he saw Lady Katherine shoot to her feet and Merlin mouthing '_I am so sorry_' to him. "Oh, Lady Katherine," he feigned glee through clenched teeth. "How nice it is to see you!"

Katherine nodded and snorted; "Your manservant just told me you were out training."

"_Did _he now?" Arthur raised an eyebrow, shot Merlin a loathing stare and proceeded to clout him about the head. "I'm sorry; he's got a terrible mental affliction. He just lies all of the time, don't you _Mer_lin?"

"What? Oh yes, yes I do," Merlin nodded quickly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Ah, well," Katherine eyed Merlin up suspiciously but obviously, Merlin told himself, her mind was so small she didn't realise that Arthur was shifting uncomfortably and sending Merlin obvious signals that he wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible because he _didn't _like her. "I've always wanted to see the forests around Camelot you know. You could guide me around if you wanted," she swayed where she stood, batting her eyelids.

"I'd love to, my lady, but it's snowing at the moment and, you see, I don't like the snow. It gets up my nose and--" he twirled his hand around his nose for effect.

"But he said you liked the snow! _He _said that winter was your favourite time of year!"

"Oh," Arthur cocked his head and slowly turned it to face Merlin who was biting his lip trying not to laugh at the predicament he had put his master in. "Well in that case, of course," he told her through gritted teeth. "Merlin, go and saddle up the horses. I'm sure my father will be so pleased to hear that I'm taking the Lady Katherine out into the forests for some sightseeing," he paused and lowered his voice to barely a whisper so that even Merlin had to strain to hear him. "And make sure to sharpen my sword aswell. You never know what danger might befall us in the forest."

*******

Merlin had spent the rest of the afternoon clearing out the stables in the snow. He'd watched glumly as Arthur and Katherine had ridden out into the forest, watched with a strange longing in his heart and an awful feeling of loneliness. Arthur's long fur coat flew loosely in the wind as he sped, a little ahead of his partner from the courtyard. The young warlock had shaken his head, mentally slapping himself for letting these feelings bubble to the surface. Why had he felt like that watching Arthur disappear from his vision? Perhaps it was the snow that brought a tear to his eye; perhaps it was the cold that made him shudder so. Yes, that was it. That was what Merlin would constantly tell himself it was.

It had been strange lately. The ground had frozen, the castle walls sprinkled with the whitest and purest snow, everyone huddling against each other for warmth. The time for festivity was almost upon them, all Camelot's people were celebrating yet Merlin felt more alone than he ever had done. He'd watch from afar, families warming themselves by the fire, children demanding that they get the best gifts this year and the sorcerer couldn't help but feel a longing.

"You miss Ealdor and your mother, yes?" Gaius had asked him and Merlin had just shrugged assuming that was the reason but something inside of him told him different. He knew that something very near to him was the cause of such a feeling, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

It started to snow once more. Large, soft snowflakes hit the top of Merlin's head and as he looked up to watch the marvel of white filtering from the sky, he opened his mouth, letting the shovel his was holding drop to the floor, and let a few flakes land on his tongue. Merlin shuddered a little and let his head fall back down, the snow landing on his eyelashes as he picked the shovel up again and began his menial task once more. Arthur had given him this job, in the cold, to teach him a lesson for his disorientation and clumsiness. And his inability to lie straight.

It was a few hours before Arthur and the Lady Katherine arrived back in Camelot. Arthur looked well and truly miserable, but Merlin couldn't help but grin at the way that Katherine's cheeks almost shone, her face split into the widest smile, and her horrible and screeching laugh escaping from between her beautiful lips.

"That was so much fun," she told the crowned prince over her shoulder as they slowed their horses to a walk, nearing Camelot's great doors.

"Yes," Arthur tried to sound enthusiastic, but as far away as Merlin was even he could hear the loathing etched into his words. "So much fun."

Then an idea entered the young warlock's mind. It was a spur of the moment decision and something that, if he had thought it through, he would not have done. Bending down, he reached into the thick layer of snow around his feet and carefully pulled together a clump, making a large, solid snowball. He _knew _it wouldn't hit its' intended target, Arthur had always told him 'you throw like a girl Merlin. Get some aim,' and so when Merlin threw the snowball in Arthur's direction he hadn't had the slightest idea that it would actually hit the prince. Arthur, surprised by the sudden bombardment of snow hitting him in the side of his head, slid from the side of his horse, arms flailing wildly. He hit the ground hard and made a loud noise somewhere between a growl and a shout of pain.

Merlin froze.

"_Merlin_!" he heard Arthur cry, but couldn't seem to move. Lady Katherine had rushed to Arthur's side, who was now struggling to sit up, and through the horses' legs Merlin could see the thunderous look on his master's face.

Arthur Pendragon watched from his window as the sun set over a snowy Camelot. He had, luckily, been able to detach himself from Lady Katherine and retired to his room until it was time to be called for the feast. The castle seemed to be buzzing with a strange sensation that Arthur had never felt before, the celebrations were almost upon them and yet, everything seemed to fit into place that year. Strange how those sorts of things worked out.

The door to his chambers opened and the prince turned to see his manservant, Merlin, trudging in and throwing Arthur's armour haphazardly onto the floor. His feet, Arthur smiled to himself, were bare and almost blue. Punishment for Merlin's final grasp of 'good aim'. His eyes were heavy and there was a distinct slouch in the way he was walking.

Merlin sighed, trying to not make eye contact with his master, and moved over to the wardrobe, picking out something for Arthur to wear for the feast.

"Merlin," Arthur mused, taking a seat in a high-backed chair by the window and watching as the warlock wiggled his toes behind the large wardrobe door, trying to breathe some life back into them. There was no reply. "_Merlin_," Arthur said a little louder.

"What?" The young man spat back.

"Now," Arthur smiled. "That's no way to treat the crowned prince of Camelot, is it?"

Merlin pulled himself from inside of the wardrobe and put on a fake smile. "What, _sire_?"

"That's better," Arthur harrumphed. "Once you're done could you run me a nice warm bath, Merlin? It's very cold outside and I need to warm myself up before the feast tonight."

"Of course, _sire_," Merlin put an emphasis on the last word and, trying to force himself not to salute sarcastically, he closed the wardrobe door and went to fetch the bath tub. Arthur slipped behind the screen and heard Merlin's bare feet pad back into the room and the slosh of water as it hit the bottom of the metal tub.

Arthur came back out from behind the screen, still fully clothed and looked at Merlin expectantly.

"Right," Merlin nodded glumly, shivering a little. "You want me to leave, right?" The warlock turned and plodded to the door. Arthur almost leapt across the room and grabbed him by the shoulder. Merlin immediately turned looking up at Arthur with large, watery blue eyes.

"The bath," the prince explained. "Is for your feet," he lifted the chair he had been sitting on moments earlier in front of the bath tub and guided Merlin into it. "A… a kind of apology for making you work outside in your bare feet. I have to admit--" Arthur swallowed. "I have to admit that it was unfair of me."

Merlin slipped his cold feet into the steaming bath and relaxed a little in the chair, his toes unfurling and a small smile spreading across his face. It was strange, he observed, how Arthur's moods could change from one moment to the next. From shouting at him, almost screaming, and pushing him to the floor, pulling his boots off and forcing Merlin to work in freezing conditions to this. It was strange. Merlin almost had to shake his head so he could take it all in.

And then, and he knew it wasn't from the bath, a warm sensation spread all over his body. Arthur patted his reassuringly on the arm and moved across the room to stare out of the window once again. Merlin's face spread into an even greater smile. Now he knew what that lonely feeling was all about; that sense of something missing, that strange moment in the courtyard.

It was all because of Arthur Pendragon.


End file.
